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No. 380,566. Patentedpr. 3, H388,

Gwmmrcl llNiTEn STATES PATENT ROBERT ISBELL HAMPTON, OF ATHENS, GEORGIA.

RAlLROADTlCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,566, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed September 14, 1887. Serial No. 249.691. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT IsnnLL HAMP- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of Clarke and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Tickets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to railroadtickets.

The object of the invention is to prevent the perpetration of frauds upon the railway company by persons traveling over the road.

The invention consists in a passengenticket with a description ofthe purchaser or party to use the same,sealable by itself 5 furthermore,in a railroad-tickethavingamiddleportion bearing a descriptive list with space forsignature, aiiap at one end bearing another descriptive list, and an additional flap for sealing; furthermore, in a railroad-ticket printed on its reverse side with matter indicative of personal description, and having an end flap printed and an end flap for a cover; and, finally, in a coupon-ticket consisting of a `middle strip composed of a number of connected printed forms, each having a descriptive end iap and a covering end flap, the covering end ap to seal the ticket.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one form of embodiment of my invention, a coupon-ticket having been shown as a means of illustration, although it is to be understood that any other form of ticket may be supplied with my means of identication.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view of the obverse side ofa coupon railroad-ticket cut and formed to bear upon its reverse side the matter indicated in the description of Fig. 2, aps for descriptive matter and for sealing being shown at opposite ends of each ticket or coupon, though they may both be at the same end, the sealing-dep to hold together the descriptive riap and the body of the ticket. Fig. 2 is a view of the reverse side of a couponticket, exhibiting the middle portion and iiaps at one end provided with matter indicative of personal description and identification, a means of sealing being shown in this instance at the opposite ends.

It being frequently desirable that it should readily be ascertainable whether the person holding a railway-ticket is the purchaser thereof or person entitled to travel upon the same, the point of the invention is to supply a purchaser or person ,entitled to travel over a railroad with a ticket which shall bear such a description,provided at the time of purchase or acquisition of the ticket and inaccessible until used, that the conductor or other party authorized to take it up may recognize at once upon taking it up and opening it whether the proper person holds it. The ticket is to be provided on one side with the usual matter and upon the reverse side with a descriptive list, this list to be scalable by itself, so that when the ticket has been purchased and the purchaser has been designated by punching or other wise marking the appropriate description, also in some cases supplying his signature, Athe conductor or other party authorized to take up the ticket may open the same and ascertain whether the description therein corresponds with the appearance of the ticketholder, and may furthermore require the holder to write his signature, (as on the back of the ticket,) in order to see whether the handwriting of his signature corresponds with that of the signature which was sealed.

It will be obvious that the entire description requisite may be upon the body of the ticket, and that, so that this is properly scalable, it makes no difference how the sealing is performed; also, that a sealing-flap may be anywhere upon the ticket to cover or otherwise join this descriptive flap to the body,as at the same end as the descriptive flap, though it is also preferred to have the sealing-flap at the opposite end.

As the invention is here embodied for mere purpose oi' illustration, a coupon passengerticket is provided with the usual printed head containing the contract or conditions of sale, and a suitable number of connected coupons, each consisting of a middle portion, and end flaps constructed to fold inward upon the iniddle portion, upon the back of which portion are printed the names of the railroad-stations. Upon the face of the middle portion of each coupon, and upon one of the end flaps of the same, are printed descriptive lists showing the race, complexion, form, height and weight, color of hair, eyes, duc., of the holder of the ticket. Between the descriptive lists on each coupon is a blanl: space, upon which the signature of the purchaser of the ticket is to be made at the time of the sale of the ticket. The edges of the blank iiap are gummed or provided with adhesive substance-such as muoilageand along the folding-lines between the coupons the inner face of the ticket is similarly prepared, so that the conductor,after having torn off the coupon from a ticket, may open the same and ascertain whether the description therein contained corresponds with the appearance of the ticket-holder, and, further, he may require the ticket-holder to Write his signature on the back of the ticket to learn whether the signature corresponds with the signature on the face of the coupon.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the middle portion of a railroad-ticket, upon the face of which is printed a blank form having complexiomform, and Weight indications or numbers. In one piece with the middle portion, A, is a iiap, B, on which is printed the race, sex, and color of thehair and eyes, and a height-table in feet and inches. At the opposite side of the middle portion is a flap, C, which is gummed or provided with an adhesive substance-such as mucilage-which is used tovhold the flap B in place after it has been folded in upon the middle portion. 0n the back of the middle portion, A, is printed the regular ticket of the company, the stations being printed thereon, as usual.

At the time of the purchase of the ticket the ticket-agent requires the purchaser to sign his l or her name on the blank space between the coupons of the middle portion, after which the 4o agent seals and folds the ticket and hands it to the purchaser. When the passenger hands his ticket to the conductor of the train, the conductor can readily detect whether theholder of the ticketis the purchaser of the same or not 45 by comparing the personal appearance of the holder of the ticket to the description printed upon and punched in the same, and the conductor may require the passengers signature.

Having described my invention, what I 5o claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. A passenger-ticket with a description of the purchaser or party to use the same, sealable by itself, substantially as described.

2. A railroad-ticket havinga middle portion bearingadescriptive list with space for signature, a iiap at one end bearing another descriptive list, and an additional iap for sealing, substantially as described. v

3. A railroad-ticket printed on its reverse side with matter indicative of personal description and having an end Hap printed and an end flap for a cover, substantially as described.

4.. A coupon-ticket consisting of a middle 65 strip composed of a number of connected printed forms, each having a descriptive end iiap and a covering end ap, the covering end Hap to seal the ticket, substantially as set forth,

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in 7o presence of two witnesses.

ROBT. ISBELL HAMPTON.

Witnesses:

G. A. MILL, A. L. HULL. 

